The cause of hand dermatitis in the latex rubber gloves users

Abstract

The epidemiology ofcontact allergens were done in rubber gloves user persons who had hand eczema, including 40 Chulalongkorn Hospital medical personels and 60 patients from out patient Chulalongkom Hospital skin clinic. The patch testing results are 17 patients (17%) react to nickel, 12 patients (12%) react to thimerosal, 8 patients (8%) react to cobalt chloride, 7 patients (7%) react to fragrance mix, 6 patients (6%) react to paraben mix, 6 patients (6%) react to black rubber mix, 5 patients react to neomycin sulfate, 4 patients react to potassium dichromate, 4 patients react to Balsum of Peru and 3 patients react to thiuram mix. Only 9 patients (9%) are allergy to rubber additive, (6 of black rubber mix, 3 of thiuram mix). The prick tests with latex allergen were also performed in these patients (100 persons). In medical personels 18 persons (45%) are positive reaction and 6 persons (15%) are doubtful reaction to latex rubber. Prick test in 60 hand eczema patients, 19 patients (31.6%) are positive reaction and 14 patients (23.3%) are doubtful reaction to latex rubber.

The cause of contact dermatitis in latex rubber gloves users is immediated hypersensitvity to latex rubber more than delayed type hypersensitivity to rubber additive.